1. Ecosystems
Limiting Factors

2. Let’s suppose…. We have two mice…
…and they produce the standard 56 “pups” (baby mice) each year.
…and each of these mice goes on to have 56 babies each year….

3. Soon….. We’d be over-run with mice on the planet!!
Why doesn’t this occur?

4. Limiting Factors
A limiting factor is an abiotic or biotic factor that restricts the number of individuals in a population.

5. Limiting Factors Limiting factors can include: Competitors
Disease and Parasites
Weather
Fires
Available Habitat
Predators

6. Competitors Birds of prey Live in forests on the edge of fields
Eat mice and other rodents
Nest in trees
Red-Tailed Hawk
Barred Owl

7. Disease and Parasites
Diseases and parasites can be dependent on population size and habitat

8. Weather
Storms
Drought
Flooding
Heat/cold

9. Fires
Fire can lead to succession which is a change in a community over time.

10. Available Habitat Human activities play a large role
Development, damming rivers, clear cutting forests.

11. Predators
Predator-prey relationship can be a delicate balance between the two populations.

12. Predator / Prey
As the prey population increases, the predator population increases. As the prey population decreases, then so does the predator population.

13. Example: Lynx and Hare:

14. Carrying Capacity All populations have a carrying capacity
A carrying capacity is the largest population that an area can support.